Manufacture of brushes



' A. ALBRIGHT, JR.

MANuFAcTuRE oF BRUSHES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 28,1918.

.Patented Apr. 18, 1922.

sHhETs-SHEET 1.

1 HIII A. ALBRIGHT, JII.

l MANUFACTURE 0F BRUSHES.

APPLICATION FILED ocT 2a, I9I8. 1,413,21 1. Patented Apr- 18, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

of the tufts will preferably be' a 'pyroxylin' cementadapted to adheretoand become Iine.

brush. I find that celluloid is of a nature' which will'permit ofitsbein `of roducing brushes.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW ALBRIGHT, Jn; or NEW Yonx, n.v Y.

MANUFACTURE or BRUSHES.

To all whom t may con-cern."

Be it known that I, ANDREW ALBRIGHT,

Junior, a citizen of the United States, ani1v a residentof New Yorkcity, in the county of New York and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and usefulImprove-g ments-in the Manufacture of Brushes, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The invention consists in a novel method he brush produced by myinvention comi-l.

prises a back or body portion of any suitable or 'desirable outlinehaving aI series of.

sockets or recesses therein, and a' series of tufts of bristles securedwithin said sockets or recesses, said tufts having the bristles at theknot ends thereof secured .togethertby rubber vulcanized `thereon andsaid tufts thus formed being secured within said sockets or recesses byva cementitious material applied on the knot ends of the'tufts and alsobythe material of the back or body,

portionvof the brush .surrounding the indi.-

vidual sockets or recesses being crowded or compressed inwardly against`the said tufts above lthe knot ends thereof, the upper endsv of saidsockets or recesses being thereby closed against the tufts. The back.orbody Iportion of the brush will preferably .bey ank integral'piece ofcelluloid or other pyroxylin material, and the Cementitious materia-lap' plied on the rubber'heads atlthe knot lends tegralwith the walls ofthexsocketsfor'recesses in the back orbody portion .of the crowded 'orcompressed inwardly 'around t e'upper ends of the sockets or recesses inthe back or body portion of the brush sol as to close .said sockets orrecesses against the tufts andthereby position. V I Y Y In carrying outmy invention by-the preferred'method, I provide a blo'ckor blocks aid insecuring'the tufts in rigid formed with holes defining the outline'ofthev for the several tufts have been arranged in Specification ofLetters Patent.

,tuft together.- the rubber heads on the individualtufts, the' blockorlblocks, plate and tufts are removed vPatented Apr. 18, 1922.`

Application filed October 28, 1918.. Serial No. 259,929. l

the block, or blocks if two are employed in superimposed relation, andthe aforesaid diepla-te, the bristles for the tufts are pusheddownwardly until their lower ends project below said` die-plate, andthereupon all of said projecting ends of the bristles are dipped in arubbervv solution. After the block and plate are lifted upwardly tocarry the tufts from the solution, I preferably allow'the whole to standfor a suitable time, say, over night, to give the rubber an opafter the'metal die-plate is slipped downwardly from the blocks andthe knot endsof the tuftsy carrying the rubber become in-A clo's'ed withintheapertures in said plate, and lthereupon I place the whole upon asteam or other heated table, said plate with the knot ends of the tuftsand the rubber thereon confined in the apertures therein being placeddirectly on said table, upon which the whole is allowed to stand untilthe rubber-has become properly vulcanized to form vheads Vof-definiteoutline onthe ends of the yportunity to become partly dried orcured byexposurek to the atmosphere, andv there-l tufts and securel bind thebristles of each fter the vulcanization of from the steam table, andthereupon'the die- `plate is slid upwardly on the tufts-so that the knotends of the tuftsA project below thev "same, and at Ithis stage I dipthe series of projecting knot ends of the tufts in a cementitioussolution, f preferably of pyroxylin character, andimmediately thereafterinsert all vof said knot ends at one operation in to the series ofsockets or recesses provided in vthe back or body of the brush, andupony this having been 'doneI crowd or compress f the material of thesaid back or body around -the upper ends vof the sockets or recessesl.therein inwardly against the tufts andvwabove .the rubber heads4formed on the knot ends thereof, thereby securingthe tufts in saidvback or body.-

` The invention .will 4be fully understoodv l Afrom the detailedldescription hereinafterv presented, reference being had to the accompaning drawings, in whlch:

plates or blocks utilized by me for forming the tufts for and incarrying out other steps of my process in the manufacture of brushes;

Fig. 1 is a top view of certain .superposed Fig. 2 is a verticallongitudinal section; through the `same,'taken on the dotted line 2-2 ofFig.`1, and illustrating the several blocks or plates with the bristlesfor the tufts threaded into the same, the upper ends of the tufts beingshown as projecting above the upper block or plate of theseries;

Fig. 3 is a corresponding view of the same Fig. 4 is a correspondingview of the same showing the plates and tufts after the knot ends of thetufts have received theV rubber solution and the bristles of therespectiveV tufts have become'bound together thereby;

Fig. 5 is a corresponding View showing a still further step of theprocess, this consisting in the separation of the lower or dieplate fromthe two upper plates and the positioning of said die-plate to receive inthe apertures therein the knot ends'of the tufts carrying the rubbersolution preparatory to the vulcanization of the rubber;

6 illustrates, in vertical section, the series of plates or blocks as'having-been brought together and as having had a top vplate, placedthereon for maintaining the series. of tufts with their knot endsprojected below the die-plate and also illustrates that step of theprocess involving the dipping of the vulcanized knot ends of the tuftsinto a cementing solution, preferably a pyroxylin cement, preparatory tothe tufts being applied to a Celluloid or pyroxylin brush back;

Fig. 7 is a corresponding section illustrating the further step oftheprocess which consists in applying the tufts while within the seriesofplates to the recesses or sockets in a brush back, the brush backbeing indicated in section;

Fig. 8 is an enlargedA vertical section through a portion of themechanism and brush back and illustrates the knot end of a tuft as beingin a socket or recess of the brush back; y

'Fig. 9 is a corresponding view indicating a further step in the processwhich consists in forcibly moving the plates downwardly against thebrush back so that the die-plate of the series may crowd or crush thematerial of the brush back annularly around the recesses thereinandagainst the knot ends of the tufts; i

Fig. 10 is a view substantially corresponding with Fig. 8but'illustrating a modified structure of the brush back, tlieback inthis instance having a shoulder formed around each of the recessestherein to be crowded or crushed downwardly at the proper time forclosing the upper end of said recesses and locking the knot ends of thetufts therein; n Fig. 11 is a view substantially corresponding with Fig.9 and illustrates the die-plate,

in this instance having a smooth lower surface, as pressed downwardly onthe shoulder surrounding the recesses of the brush back for the purposeof closing said recesses around the knots of the tufts, and

Fig. 12 is a top view of a portion ofa brushback of the character shownin Fig. 10, said backhaving tuft receiving sockets or recessessurrounded by annular ribs or shoulders.

In the drawings, 10, 11,12 denote three outline of a tooth brush back.The die-plate 1() differs from the plates 11, 12 in that. it l is formed`with holes which align'with but are of greater diameter than the holes15 in the blocks or plates 11, 12. In the preferred construction thedie-plate 10 is equi ped in its'apertures or holes with bushings 1 whichproject below the plate 10 and have beveled lower edges, the lowerannular ed es of said bushingsbeing tapered downwardgly and inwardly, asclearly shown in thedrawings. The holes within the bushings 17 alignwith the holes 15 in the blocks or plates 11, 12, but are greater indiameter than said holes 15, since-the bushings are intended not only toreceive the bristles for the tufts 1,6, but'the rubber or other solutionapplied on the knot vends of said bristles to form the tufts and securethe bristles of each tuft together.

Fig. '2 illustrates the several plates or blocks as having had thebristles for the tufts 16 threaded into the holes thereof, said bristlesterminating at the lower edgesnof the bushings 17 and extending abovethe upper surface of the block or plate 12, lthis being 'the normalcondition of the'bristles for the several tufts in the rst step of theprocess of forming the tufts.

' vIn Fig. 3 I illustrate the second step of my process, and in Fig. 3it will be seen that the tufts of bristles 16 have been moved downwardlythrough the several plates until the upper ends of said bristles are ona level with the upper surface of the plate 12 and the lowerends of saidbristles are correspondingly projected downwardly below the die-plate10.

When the bristles for the various tufts are in the relation to theseveral plates shown in Fig. 3, I use said plates as a means forcarrying the various tufts and in dipping the lower ends of said ,tuftsinto a rubber solution 18 contained within a suitable pan said tuftsdownwardly with the aid of said or the like 19, so that the said ends ofthe bristles of the individual tufts may be `se-v cured together, thelower ends of the bristles of each tuft or bunch independently receivingthe rubber or other binding solution so that on the lower end thereofahead is formed securing all of the bristles of the bunch or tufttogether. When the lower ends of the tufts are dipped into the rubbersolution, said solution will enter in between the bristles of the tuftsand thoroughly coat the ends of the same and form heads of rubber onsaid tufts, as 'represented at the lower portion of'Figs. 3 and 4. Afterremoving the series of tufts from the rubber solution, I allow therubber on the ends of the tufts to partly cure or oxidize by eX- posureto the air for a limited period, preferably allowing the blocks,die-plate and bristles to stand over-night, preparatory to thevulcanizing of the rubber on the ends of the tufts, this condition beingrepresented in Fiff. 4.

r[Ihe next step in my process is to slide the die-plate 10 toward thelower ends of the tufts 16 until the knot endsof the tufts carrying therubber are within the Ibushings 17, or to the position shown in Fig. 5,and thereupon I place the several plates when in the condition andrelation to each other shown in Fig. 5, upon a steam or other heatedtable, which may be represented by the line 20 in Fig. 5, and allow thesame to remain on said table until the vulcanization of the rubber hasbeen completed. The heat of the table 20 'will be imparted to the plate10 and bushings 17, and first the heads of rubber at the ends of thetufts will become softened and conform to the shape of the bores of thebushings 17, and thereafter the continued action of the heat will resultin the/rubber of the heads becoming vulcanized and in said heads takingthe form of the bores or openings insaid bushings and rmly binding thebristles of each tuft'together.

After the rubber on the ends of the tufts has become properly`vulcanized I slide the plate 1 0 up against the plate or block 11 andapply va top plate or block 21 against the upper ends of the series oftufts, pressing plate or block 21 in an even manner until the knot endsof the several tufts project below the plate 10, as I represent in Fig.6. I then utilize the several plates or blocks holding the series oftufts as a means 4for dipping the knot ends of the tufts into acementitious solution 22 contained within a suitable pan or the like 23,as shown in Fig. 6, so that the rubber heads on the knot ends of thetufts may receive a thin coating, which I number 24 in Fig. 7, of thecementitious material. The material 23 will preferably be in the natureof a pyroxylin cement, especlally when the tufts are to be lthe closingof the upper edges of ,or sockets26 against the same. Thereafter loid orother pyroxylin material.

After the tufts have' received .their coating p 24 of the cementitiousmaterial, all ofthe knot ends ofthe tufts, while the tufts are stillheld within the several platesor blocks, are introduced into therecesses or sockets 26 provided within Vthe back or body 25, as shown inFig. 7 in the brush back or body 25 are of greater depth than the heightof the heads, which I number-.27, on the knot ends of the tufts, so thata space ory clearance approximately about onex-zthi rty-seconet of aninch is left in said sockets or recessesk above the material on the knotends of theftufts, as represented invFigs. 7 and8.

The next step in my'process of manufacture, from that shown in Figs. 7and 8, is to forcibly pressl downwardly against the body or brush`back25 the several'superposed blocks or plates lower beveled edges ofthe bushings 17 to crowd or compress the material of said body or ,backan annular lines surrounding the respective recesses or sockets 26inwardly against the bristles of the tufts and above the heads 27 formedthereon, as shown in Fig. 9,`whereby in'addition/to the action of thecoatings 24: of cementitious material on the heads 27, the tufts becomesecurely anchored within the body of the back 25 by the recesses theassembled plates or blocks may be stripped upwardly from the tufts,leaving the tufts in the brush body or yback 25, thereby completing theoperation of not only forming the tufts, but securing them in positionin a brush back or body, all of the tufts being secured in positionsimultaneously and in theoutline predetermined for the brush. ,f/ Inlieu of employing the bushings 17 having the beveled lower edges, I mayemploy a die-plate of the modified form numbered 28 in Figs. 10 and 1l,said plate having a smooth lower surface instead of the projectingbeveled surfaces presented by the bushings 17. y

In the employment of the plate 28 I will form around the upper edges ofthe recesses or sockets in the brush back or body, numbered 29 in Figs.10 and 11, annular ribs or shoulders 30 surrounding the upper ends ofthe respective recesses or sockets in'said brush back or body, and afterthe knot ends of the several tufts have been introduced into therecesses or sockets of the brush The recesses or sockets'26- back orbody 29, the series of plates will be formed on the knot ends of thetufts, thereby moving a portion of the material of the back or body 29inwardly against the tufts In ig. V12 I illustrate a top and above saidheads, as representedin 11, and'securng the of a brush back or body 29the upper ends of its sockets 'o1' recessesl with the annular rihs'orshoulders 30. l

The plates l1, l2A may be in one pieceor form a single block, butpreferably form the same in separate'parts toy be keyed together so thatthey may beadapted to tufts varying in length in 'accordance with the`style of brush desired. One

plate or block, such `asfll, would be sufficient forv short lengthtufts,but when tufts of the custom! ary length for tooth brushes are to be'pror duced, I preferably usetwo plates or blocks 11, 12. The thicknessof the blocks or plates (11 12 orof one block, if one ismade use ofinstead of two, will necessarily vary with the lengths oftufts to beproduced.

After all of the tuftshave been-applied to thebrush back or brush body,the tufts may' be trimmed, as usual, for the varying styles 'of brushesand the back or body of the. brush may be `polished or otherwisetreated, as ymay be desirable.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:Y

VThe improvement in the art' of brush making which consists in providinga brush tufts in position. view of a portion' equipped around.

cOctober., A.VD 1918.

yback in one integral piece of pyroxylin material having a series oftuft-receivingsockets extending inwardly from the face thereof, formingthe tufts of bristles with heads on their knot ends firmly holding thebristles of the respective tufts together, said close the sockets andsecure'the tufts, by

pressuresappliedy to the face ofthe back simultaneously at and annularlyaround and only at and annularly around said ends of said sockets. f

Signed at Newark, in the 'county of Essex and Stateof New Jersey, this23rd day of ANDREW ALBRIGHT,

Witnesses:

THOMAS F. BARRY, O. .GARNETT BUDDISH.

JUNIOR.

